'I was in Strangeways... I had no idea this would ever happen to me'
13.03.2024 - 07:03
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
A former Strangeways prison officer turned her simple idea into a full-time business – saying she now sells out “all the time”.
Melissa McQuade first got the idea for her children’s eco-friendly clothing company, Charley’s Wild World, back in 2020.
It was during lockdown that she fell pregnant with her daughter Charley and wanted to buy her animal-themed outfits.
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Struggling to find any clothes that were sustainable and made in the UK, the 42-year-old, from Atherton, decided to create her own clothing line.
The mum-of-one spent a year researching different designs, inks and fabrics before sourcing a team of seamstresses.
Melissa launched the company in November 2021 and watched as the orders flooded in – saying she now sells out of stock constantly.
“It’s growing month-on-month,” the mum told the Manchester Evening News. “I do pre-orders and people order in advance. Things sell out all the time.”
The mum was recently recognised by Dragons’ Den star Theo Paphitis after being handed his Small Business Sunday (SBS) award.
Melissa was awarded the accolade, which aims to celebrate small businesses in the UK, at the ICC in Birmingham at a special networking event.
“I manage all the logistics,” she added. “I do everything from getting my own fabrics and designers. I work from my loft upstairs.
“It’s an online store but I just got into Bents Garden Centre and I’ve been in John Lewis as a pop-up shop. I do lots of makers markets and Christmas markets and I’m looking to grow the business. It’s been really, really good so far.”
Melissa got inspired to launch her animal-themed clothing company after leaving her job as an RSPCA inspector, a